13. Simon Commission:
a. Reason of Formation:
- The Simon Commission was appointed by the British government in 1927.
- The Simon Commission was appointed as per a clause of 1919 Act wherein it was laid down that the British government would review the working of the 1919 Act after ten years before introducing the nest installment of Political reforms.
b. Opposition to the Commission and consequences: (Oct. 99)
- The Simon Commission was constituted only of English members. No Indian was given representation on the commission.
- The Congress boycotted the commission because it consisted only English members.
- Other Indian Political parties also adopted the attitude similar to Congress towards the Simon Commission.
- The Indians greeted Simon Commission with demonstrations and hartals wherever it visited in India during 1928.
- The Simon Commission faced the slogans of “Simon Go Back” everywhere when they toured India.
- In November 1928, Lala Lajpat Rai was badly injured in a Lathi charge on the demonstrators against the Simon Commission.
- Lala Lajpat Rai prophesied that with every stroke of Lathi that he received, were nails struck in the coffin of the British Empire.
- Later Lajpat Rai succumbed to his injuries inflicted during Lathi charge.
- The death of Lala Lajpat Rai highly infuriated the Indians.
- The revolutionary leaders Bhagat Singh and Rajguru shot death Saunders who had order Lathi charge in which Lala Lajpat Rai had received mortal blows.
14. Bardoli Satyagraha 1927: Sardar Vallabbhai Patel:
- Bardoli Satyagraha was organised by Vallabbhai Patel in Bardoli in Gujarat.
- It was organised in 1927.
- It was organised against the injustice of British government against the peasants of Gujarat.
- Gujarat was suffering because of famine.
- British government had increased the land tax by 25 % instead of giving remission in tax due to famine.
- Vallabbhai Patel organised ‘no tax’ movement of the peasants.
- The government reacted by confiscating the cattle and household goods of the peasants.
- The peasants suffered many hardships including imprisonment but they did not withdraw the ‘no tax’ campaign.
- Finally the government bowed to the pressure of the peasants.
- An inquiry ordered by the government declared that the increase in tax was not correct.
- The tax was reduced.
- The peasants of Gujarat started calling Vallabbhai as Sardar Vallabbhai Patel for the successful leadership of Bardoli Satyagraha.
- Gandhiji termed the success of Bardoli Satyagraha as one step forward in attainment of Swarajya.
15. Nehru Report August 1928: (Oct. 96)
- The British Prime Minister Burkenhead had taunted the Indians by declaring that the Indian leaders wee incapable of forming a common plan of political reforms.
- The Indian political leaders took up the challenge of writing a common plan of political reforms for India.
- The Indian National Congress constituted a committee to prepare a commonly accepted proposal of a constitutional reforms in India.
- The committee also sought the participation of other political leaders.
- The report which that committee submitted is known as the Nehru Report.
15a. Main Features of Nehru Report:
- The Nehru Report demanded following things apart from other reforms:
i. Fundamental rights to the Indians.
ii. Dominion Status to India.
15 b. Contention of Mohammed Ali Jinnah and His Fourteen Demands:
- To the committee writing the proposal of constitutional reforms, Mohammed Ali Jinnah proposed reservation of seats for Muslims in Muslim dominated provinces.
- The proposal was not acceptable to many other political leaders and it was not included in the Nehru report.
- Muslim League opposed the Nehru Report.
- Jinnah wrote his objections against the Nehru Report which was called the Charter of Fourteen Demands or the Delhi demand.
16. The Demand for Complete Independence: (Oct. 96)
- Jwahar Lal Nehru presided over the 1929 session of the Indian National Congress held at Lahore.
- It was held after one year from the ultimatum given to the British government in which the Congress had demanded Dominion Status for India within one year.
- The session passed a resolution in which complete independence was demanded.
- It called upon Indians to observe January 26, 1930 as the independence day of India.
- It called upon Indians to take oath to achieve complete independence for India.
- It declared that it was a fundamental right of the Indians to enjoy freedom and make all round development.
- It declared that the Indians had the right to abolish the government which denied them the right for freedom and overall development.
- On January 26, 1930, all over Indian people celebrated Independence day, took oath of achieving the complete independence of India and unfurled Tricolour.
- The Lahore Session of 1929 also passed resolution of Civil Disobedience.
- The Lahore Session entrusted the job of deciding the details of the Civil Disobedience.
16a. Significance of Lahore Session 1929:
- It decided that the complete Independence was the aim of struggle.
- The Civil Disobedience Movement would be headed by Gandhiji.
- It demonstrated a spirit of determination and enthusiasm among the Indians to fight the British imperialism.
Facts and Figures to Remember
1. Political Condition in India in 1919: Poverty and resentment among the Indians, Tilak died in August 1919.
2. Main Role of Gandhiji after 1919: Experience in South Africa – the first success of Satyagraha. Philosophy of Satyagraha;
3. Gandhiji in India: Champaran, Ahmedabad and Kheda the first Satyagraha experiment in India.
4. Indian dissatisfaction with British government:
Coming of Rowlatt Act, general dissatisfaction of Indians; Oppression in Punjab (Jalianwalla Tragedy), Importance of Jalianwalla Baugh.
5. Khilafat Movement: Started due to betrayal of Indian Muslims in the First World War; Gandhiji supported the movement,
6. Non-Cooperation Movement: An idea of Gandhiji; Causes of starting the movement; Nagpur Session 1920; massive participation by the Indians, starting of National Educational Institutions, Boycott of the English goods and institutions.
7. Zenda Satyagraha Started in Nagpur in 1923; known for the large participation of women.
8. Women Participation Women participated for the first time in the national struggle during the Non- Cooperation Movement.
9. Mulshi Satyagraha 1921-24 Led by Senapti Panduran Mahadeo Bapat in Pune district, a peasant movement, main issue was the compensation for land for dam.
10. Withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement: (Oct. 01)
Withdrawn in 1922, Chaurichaura incidence was the cause, Gandhiji was arrested.
11. Constructive Programme: A part of Non-cooperation Movement, stress on self economic development, prohibition and village upliftment through economic activities and hygiene programmes, encouragement to women participation, attack on social evils, Hindu Muslim unity.
12. Swaraj Party: Party of Congress leader favouring participation in the elections. Main leaders were C. R. Dass, Motilal Nehru and Kelkar.
13. Simon Commission: It was formed as per a clause of 1919 Act; Indians boycotted it because it did not have any Indian representative on it; “Simon Go Back” was the response of the Indians; it became the cause of the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.
14. Bardoli Satyagraha 1927: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel organised it; it was launched for Redressal of the peasant’s problems, it took the form of no tax campaign.
15. Nehru Report August 1928: It was a proposal of constitutional reforms in India made by all the political parties of India. it was named after Moti Lal Nehru.
15a. Features of Nehru Report: It demanded Dominion Status for India and Fundamental Rights for Indians.
15b. Fourteen Demands of Jinnah: Jinnah had raised objections against the contents of the Nehru Report which came to known as Fourteen Demands.
16. Demand of Complete Independence: In Lahore Session of 1929, Congress demanded complete independence for India.
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